Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has charged members of the Armed Forces to keep their focus on the restoration of peace and stability across troubled areas of the country.
Governor Sanwo-Olu gave the charge on Monday while receiving the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, on a courtesy call at the State House in Marina, Lagos.
The Service Chief was accompanied by top Defence officers, including the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-Gen. Mohammed Usman; Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan; and Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command, AVM A.Y. Abdullahi, among others.
The governor said the economic recovery efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rested on the premise of law and order, noting that the seed of the president’s economic vision would germinate quicker if the military tightened its grip over those attempting to undermine the nation’s security.
Sanwo-Olu, while observing that the nation, in the last 12 months, had witnessed a sharp decline in criminal attacks in areas burdened by instability, including the South-East and North-Central, hailed the servicemen for upholding their duty to protect the law-abiding citizens living in the crisis-ridden regions.
He, however, urged the military to brace up and reinforce its strength to restore stability in areas still burdened by banditry, noting that there were still pockets of violence being recorded in the North-East.
“The vision of the president to advance economic development and prosperity can only be achieved in an atmosphere of stability and peace. We have observed how you have provided level-headed leadership to defence personnel while working collaboratively with your fellow service chiefs. This is especially commendable, as the nation is now seeing the results of the collaboration among our defence forces.
“In the last 12 months, we have seen a consistent decline in what we used to see as regular criminal attacks in some parts of the country. In the south-east, we have seen military successes, as violence has gone down significantly. We have witnessed similar successes in the North Central, but we still have pockets of violence in the North East, which I believe is within control.
“The military needs to tighten up and keep focusing on restoring order to quickly accelerate progress in line with the president’s vision,” the governor said.
Speaking further, Governor Sanwo-Olu passed a vote of confidence on the Service Chiefs, noting that the state government had maintained a good working relationship with the military formation in Lagos.
This was just as he said that members of the Armed Forces serving in Lagos usually displayed a high level of professionalism whenever they were required to assist the police in combat operations against criminals, pointing out that the synergy had improved safety in the state, making it peaceful for investment to thrive.
Sanwo-Olu, however, re-emphasised the need for the Defence Headquarters to support its officers towards maintaining good mental health, not only during their period of service but also in retirement, urging the Defence Chief to bequeath a legacy centred around building strong welfare for officers.
“Governance is a tool for development that is centred on people’s interests. This vision should sit firmly with your agenda for the military. I’ll implore you to pursue your vision for defence and build a legacy that would create an armed force that would be people-centric.
“While pursuing the welfare of your officers, you must also build confidence among the citizens by addressing the basic issues that our people want. These include security of lives and property, which is the paramount reason why the government is in place,” the governor said.
Gen. Musa, in his remark, said the courtesy visit was to convey the appreciation of members of the Armed Forces for the financial and hardware support Governor Sanwo-Olu had provided to enable military formations to carry out their statutory duties in Lagos.
The CDS said the level of support and cooperation from the state government had continued to strengthen the morale of soldiers while raising the confidence of the defence formations in Lagos to respond quickly to threats.
He pledged the military’s loyalty to the constitution and to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, while also promising to protect the human rights of the citizens.
Gen. Musa said President Tinubu’s leadership in fostering good working relationships among defence units led to successful military operations in troubled regions, adding: “The collaboration among the military forces wouldn’t have yielded much without the president’s strong leadership.”
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